Billy And Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure

Hello my fellow movie goers from around the globe. Time for another horror themed review. I’ve decided to look back on an animated horror comedy based on show I used to watch as a kid on Cartoon Network called, “The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy.” The show centers around two kids. One’s a big buffoon and the other is a cynic with a monotone voice with more emotion than Kristen Stewart’s performance as Bella Swan from the “Twilight” series. One day, they encounter The Grim Reaper. After Death himself lost a bet playing limbo, he’s forced to stay with the pair as their “best friend” doing whatever the heck they want.

Many episodes involves the trio’s misadventures interacting with Billy’s best friend Irwin, next door neighbor General Skarr who appeared in “Evil Con Carnie,” snobby brat Mindy, Nergal, a creature who predates Slender Man along with his son, bounty hunter Hoss Delgado who’s a parody of Snake Plissken & Ash Williams, a Redd Foxx-esque Dracula, Jeffy The Giant Spider & Fred Fredburger a dumb green lookin’ muppet. Nearly every episode ends with the trio meeting their fates or one of them spared. One episode later, nothing actually happened. Not every single episode contains a story arc, think of them as a one-off.

The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy aired a total of six seasons ranging from 2001-2007. The series spawned a fighting game in 2006, two TV films titled, “Billy And Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure” & Billy And Mandy: Wrath Of The Spider Queen.” Last but not least, a crossover special with “Codename Kids Next Door” or KND for short. Another show I used to watch during my childhood.

Billy And Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure aired in 2007 (same year 1408 came out) on Cartoon Network. It received positive reviews from critics and viewers alike. A spin-off show titled, “Underfist” aired in 2008 with recurring characters failed to earn a full season. The closest thing we got is a one-off special. As they say, all good things must come to an end.

Today’s review contains no SPOILERS. Feel free to read my non-spoiler article.

Smart & Dumb Aspects

Smart: Grey DeLisle, Richard Horvitz (voice of Invader Zim) & Greg Eagles reprise their roles and they all did a fantastic job for their respective voiceover performances.

Other Cast Members such as Phil LaMaar, Jennifer Hale & the late Fred Willard all did a great job for their respective voiceover performances.

Maxwell Atoms did a decent job writing and directing the movie.

Animation retains its traditional hand drawn format.

Chemistry between Grim, Billy, Mandy & Irwin serves as the main highlight. Gotta love Grim having a hard time with the kids.

Humor contains self-aware jokes, visual gags, black comedy, a sound effect with farts and Billy’s stupidity. It’s as if James Gunn made a cartoon series.

Billy’s dad Harold is my favorite character. He’s a fat moron like his son.

A gauntlet plays a big role. Has nothing to do with The Infinity Gauntlet. I know the gauntlet first appeared in the comics before the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” existed, Big Boogey Adventure was the first movie to have a plot over a powerful gauntlet on film prior to “Infinity War” & “Endgame.” Basically a Simpson did it moment for Billy And Mandy.

Opening Scene pays homage to the opening from “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”

Instead of a traditional text saying “A Maxwell Atoms Film,” it’s labeled as “A Stupid Film.” What your about to see, indicates you and your kids will laugh so hard. A unique way to open a A Stupid Film like “A Spike Lee Joint.”

One of the characters is dressed like David Bowie. Christopher Nolan’s favorite musician who worked with him in “The Prestige.”

If you have a keen eye, Darth Vader & The Invisible Man make cameo appearances. Back in 2007, Warner Bros. (WB for short) & Cartoon Network were developing The Clone Wars film and series back when Disney didn’t own the franchise.

Billy & Mandy’s robotic counterparts are a parody of T-800 from “The Terminator” series. WB were developing “Terminator Salvation.”

Somebody mentioned “Titanic.” Bill Paxton, (may he Rest In Peace) who was in the Best Picture winner, had a show called, Big Love” which used to air on HBO ( subsidiary of WB) from 2006-2011. That’s right, I’m doing a version of Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon using a cast member from Titanic who’s connected to an HBO series.

Boogey Man is captain of a pirate ship. “Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End” is another movie that came out in 2007.

One scenes shows Godzilla makes a cameo appearance. In 2014, WB made a reboot of Godzilla as the first installment of the “MonsterVerse.”

A half-clown, half-spider appears. Ten Years Later, WB made an adaptation of Stephen King’s “It” split into two chapters released in 2017-2019.

Skarr told two kids to get off his lawn. Coincidentally, Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” came out in 2007.

Despite many episodes not sharing continuity, a trial scene has some callbacks to previous episodes.

A familiar character from another Cartoon Network series I used to watch shows up. I miss my childhood.

A “Where Are They Now” montage is shown during The End Credits.

A Post-Credits Scene is shown. It’s played for laughs.

Dumb: 3D Visuals blending in 2D animation can be jarring at times. Let’s face it, Cartoon Network was on a budget.

The Final Verdict: A-

Billy And Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure is funny as heck TV movie that’ll make you laugh so hard. If you wanna introduce your kids to the show, all episodes are available on HBO Max. If you’re having a hard time searching for Big Boogey Adventure, find it on DVD.